Public Policy

  • December 02, 2024

    Mich. Justices To Mull Immigrant Org.'s Workers' Comp Fight

    The Michigan Supreme Court said Monday it would review whether a one-year filing deadline bars an immigrant legal aid organization from forcing the state to stop denying workers' compensation benefits based on immigration status.

  • December 02, 2024

    Bipartisan Bill Calls For AI Studies From Financial Regulators

    Leaders of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee want to codify their commitment to regulating and cultivating the use of artificial intelligence in the financial services industry with legislation introduced Monday that directs financial and housing regulators to produce reports on the use of AI in their respective sectors.

  • December 02, 2024

    Biden's Pardon Is Another Blow To Special Counsel Probes

    President Joe Biden's pardon of his son over the weekend marks the latest example of a special counsel investigation fizzling and raises doubts over the future use of such probes, which can drag on for years and cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

  • December 02, 2024

    ByteDance Says Ex-Worker Can't Avoid Counterclaims

    TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, says a former engineer shouldn't be able to dodge its counterclaims in a dispute stemming from his termination, arguing that just because he wants to drop his allegations doesn't mean those counterclaims are moot.

  • December 02, 2024

    Fla. Tribe Sues Eli Lilly, CVS, Others Over Insulin Price-Fixing

    The Miccosukee Tribe in Florida is alleging drugmakers like Eli Lilly & Co. and pharmacy benefit managers like CVS illegally conspired to limit competition and artificially inflate the price of insulin drugs, according to a new lawsuit filed in New Jersey federal court.

  • December 02, 2024

    9th Circ. Partially Upholds Block Of Idaho Abortion Travel Ban

    A split Ninth Circuit panel on Monday upheld part of a lower court's temporary injunction to an Idaho law that criminalizes helping minors travel out of state to receive abortions without parental permission, finding the "recruiting" portion of the law is unconstitutional. 

  • December 02, 2024

    SEC Taps Former Crypto Chief To Head Litigation Efforts

    The former acting chief of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission unit in charge of overseeing cybersecurity and cryptocurrency-related cases has been promoted to chief litigation counsel, expanding his oversight authority even as a more crypto-friendly administration is slated to enter the Oval Office in January. 

  • December 02, 2024

    EPA Pitches Partial Ban On Food Crop Pesticide Chlorpyrifos

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday it is proposing a rule to revoke tolerances over the use of chlorpyrifos on foods, a year after the Eighth Circuit said the agency hurriedly instituted a ban and didn't fulsomely consider the possibility of allowing some beneficial uses to continue.

  • December 02, 2024

    Gov't Owned Broadband Often Fails, Report Says

    A new report from an industry-backed think tank skewers government-owned broadband networks for purportedly relying on public resources to survive but operating inefficiently and competing unfairly against private internet service providers.

  • December 02, 2024

    Mexico Says Okla. Immigration Law Would Weaken Diplomacy

    Mexico has told the Tenth Circuit that it would be forced to expend diplomatic and consular resources to deal with the fallout of an Oklahoma law barring unauthorized immigrants from residing in the state if it was allowed to take effect.

  • December 02, 2024

    NC GOP-Led Senate OKs Reducing Income Tax Cap

    North Carolina's income tax cap would fall to 5%, instead of the 7% currently in the state constitution under a constitutional amendment approved Monday by the state Senate.

  • December 02, 2024

    Worker's Case Threatens 'Sea Change,' Conn. Justices Hear

    If the Connecticut Supreme Court sides with a workers' compensation claimant who is challenging a benefits determination, it would "create a sea change" that makes claims "drastically more expensive," the state's mental health agency told the justices Monday.

  • December 02, 2024

    'Pull The Plug': Broadband Program Wasteful, GOP Sen. Says

    The government's $42.5 billion program to deploy broadband to underserved locations throughout the U.S. should be stopped because it's wasting money hand over fist, according to a Republican senator.

  • December 02, 2024

    Wash. Airport Deportation Ban Unconstitutional, 9th Circ. Says

    Ninth Circuit judges have determined that a Washington county's ban on deportation flights departing from a Seattle-area airport was an unconstitutional interference with federal government operations, as well as a breach of a World War II-era agreement.

  • December 02, 2024

    Green Group Urges Justices To Save Wash. Port CWA Ruling

    A Washington state environmental group is urging the U.S. Supreme Court not to disturb a Ninth Circuit ruling that protects its right to sue over pollution discharges under the citizen enforcement provision of the Clean Water Act.

  • December 02, 2024

    5th Circ. Bars Feds From Messing With Texas' Wire Barriers

    A split Fifth Circuit panel said federal agents can't interfere with concertina razor wire barriers Texas erected to deter illegal border crossings, ruling that the federal government isn't immune from Texas' state law claims for trespass and conversion.

  • December 02, 2024

    Cargo Facility Merits Property Tax Break, Mass. Justices Told

    A property leased from the Massachusetts Port Authority to a for-profit cargo enterprise is exempt from property tax because the facility serves a public purpose, the lessee told the state's highest court Monday, urging reversal of a tax board decision.

  • December 02, 2024

    Mining Cos. Ask Justices To Sink Peruvians' Pollution Claims

    The Renco Group Inc., owned by U.S. billionaire Ira Rennert, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an Eighth Circuit ruling that greenlit a lawsuit filed by more than 2,000 Peruvians who are seeking to hold The Renco Group and other companies liable for alleged lead poisoning tied to a smelting and refining complex in rural Peru.

  • December 02, 2024

    Solar Cos. Ask High Court To Review Vermont-Imposed Fine

    Allco Renewable Energy Ltd. and several other companies pursuing a solar generation project in Bennington, Vermont, are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to wade into their row with the Vermont Public Utility Commission and hold that it had no authority to impose a civil penalty on them without a jury trial.

  • December 02, 2024

    FCC Chair Makes Last-Ditch Plea For 'Rip And Replace'

    The Federal Communications Commission's chief called on key lawmakers to act soon to fund a program for securing telecom network equipment that faces a $3.08 billion shortage.

  • December 02, 2024

    DEA Asserts Its Role As Proponent Of Pot Rescheduling Plan

    The Drug Enforcement Administration on Monday affirmed it was acting as the proponent of a proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana, and the administrative law judge said supporters of rescheduling would not get an opportunity to cross-examine DEA witnesses.

  • December 02, 2024

    Freshfields Lands Onetime SEC Acting Enforcement Head

    Freshfields has added a litigation partner in its Washington, D.C., office who brings with her nearly 17 years of government experience including time as acting director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement division, according to a Monday announcement.

  • December 02, 2024

    White House Urges Agencies To Boost Small Biz Contracting

    The White House has urged federal agencies to more closely scrutinize federal contractors' subcontracting plans and to standardize their forecasts of upcoming procurement opportunities, efforts it said were intended to boost small business participation in government contracting.

  • December 02, 2024

    IRS Finalizes Partnership Liability Regs After 11 Years

    The Internal Revenue Service unveiled final regulations governing the allocation of partnership liabilities 11 years after releasing the proposed rules, saying no subsequent legislative and regulatory changes had taken place to compel the agency to otherwise renew the rulemaking process.

  • December 02, 2024

    Ark. Governor Wants Out Of Cherokee Casino License Row

    Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is asking a federal district court to be removed as a defendant and for an overall dismissal of a challenge to a state amendment that revoked a Cherokee Nation business' casino license, arguing the Oklahoma tribe doesn't have any property interest in the case.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • How D&O Coverage Can Aid Against Increased AI Scrutiny

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    The recent increase in regulatory enforcement and securities class actions stemming from corporate use of artificial intelligence should prompt companies to ensure that their directors and officers liability insurance coverage is appropriately tailored to AI-related risks, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • When Investigating An Adversary, Be Wary Of Forged Records

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    Warnings against the use of investigators who tout their ability to find an adversary’s private documents generally emphasize the risk of illegal activity and attorney discipline, but a string of recent cases shows an additional danger — investigators might be fabricating records altogether, says Brian Asher at Asher Research.

  • Crypto Cos. Add New Play In Their Offense Against SEC

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    Consensys and Crypto.com have adopted a novel strategy of preempting U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions by moving to crypto-friendly Texas and filing declaratory lawsuits challenging the SEC's jurisdiction to regulate crypto-assets — an aggressive approach that may pay off, say attorneys at Herrick Feinstein.

  • FTC Focus: Zeroing In On Post-Election Labor Markets

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    The presidential election and the push-and-pull of the administrative state's reach are likely to affect the Federal Trade Commission's focus on labor markets, including the tenor of noncompete rule enforcement, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.

  • Opinion

    Why States Should Adopt ABA's 'Duty To Inquire'

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    State bars should codify the American Bar Association's proposed rule on a lawyer's duty to scrutinize each representation as it provides guardrails for lawyers, supports self-regulation of the profession, and helps avert money laundering and other crimes, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

  • $3B TD Bank AML Settlement Is A Wake-Up Call For All Banks

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    TD Bank’s historic settlement over anti-money laundering violations, resulting in over $3 billion in penalties, reminds banks of all shapes and sizes why they need to take financial crime compliance seriously, and highlights three areas that may be especially vulnerable to enforcement, says Jack Harrington at Bradley Arant.

  • What Trump Presidency May Mean For Climate Reporting

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    While the Trump administration will likely take a hands-off approach to climate-related disclosures and rescind regulations promulgated under the Biden administration, state and international ESG laws mean the private sector may not reverse course on such disclosures, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • Expect Surging Oil And Gas Industry Under New Trump Admin

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    Throughout his recent campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised increased oil and natural gas production and reduced reliance on renewables — and his administration will likely bring more oil and gas dealmaking, faster federal permitting and attempts to roll back incentives for green energy, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Timing Of An NLRB Power Shift Hinges On Biden Nominees

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    President-elect Donald Trump seems certain to shake up the National Labor Relations Board's prounion Democrat majority, but the incoming president's timing depends on whether the current Senate confirms two pending nominees to board positions, say attorneys at Fox Rothschild.

  • Opinion

    The Right Kind Of Deregulation In Commercial Airline Industry

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    Similar to the economic deregulation that occurred more than four decades ago during the Carter administration, the incoming Trump administration should restore the very limited federal regulatory role in the economics of the airline industry, says former U.S. transportation secretary James Burnley at Venable.

  • Medicare Overpayment Rules Are A Mixed Bag For Providers

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    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' updated rules for handling agency overpayments adopt a more reasonable definition of what it means to have "identified" an overpayment, which is a win for providers, but their new time frame for investigating related overpayments is unrealistic, says Susan Banks at Holland & Knight.

  • FERC's Reactive Power Compensation Cutoff Is No Shock

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    While the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's recent final rule ending compensation for reactive power provided within the standard power factor range will mean less revenue for some generators, it should not come as a surprise, since FERC has long signaled its interest in this shift, says Linda Walsh at Husch Blackwell.

  • Navigating Decentralized Clinical Trials With FDA's Guidance

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recently finalized guidance on conducting decentralized clinical trials, while not legally binding, can serve as a road map for sponsors, investigators and others to ensure trial integrity and participant safety, say attorneys at Phillips Lytle.

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